It Takes Your Mind Again
by Duyouk
Summary: Just a drabble/oneshot on what I believe happened when GlaDOS let Chell go at the end of Portal 2. Wrote it for English class back in 8th grade. It's a bit bland and not very detailed, but nonetheless, please enjoy.


"We'll have to get to shelter soon."

A rather large cube was being carried by a young woman. The two were a team; a rather unlikely one. The woman nodded at the cube, averting her eyes from the ground to the sky. The cube could somehow talk, which was a bit odd for an inanimate object. The woman figured it must've been all in her head. She was told she had brain damage several times, anyway. And she began to believe it too. She was a mute. She never remembered being able to talk.

_"You dangerous, mute, lunatic."_

No, she would never again remember the monster that spared her life.

"The sky is getting darker. We must move on, Chell." The cube said. The woman- Chell- continued on. It was hard trying to find shelter when in the middle of no-man's land. The air was cool, but the sky was dark. It was very hard to see, even though Chell's vision was enhanced by… that place. Ugh. There were many memories from that terrible science facility. And it was underground, too. Who puts a science facility underground?

Oh, right. A majority of scientists do.

She also remembered that hideous robotic woman. Well, Chell wouldn't say hideous, but she was quite a monster- No! Where was Chell's mind going? She shook the thought of it out of her head. Caroline… That's what used to be the monster's name.

And that sphere, why did he try to kill her? Oh, Chell definitely remembered him. He wasn't worth thinking about…

Then again, maybe he was. It was only a matter of time that she might see him again anyway. He was floating around in space, probably headed towards the Earth's atmosphere.

"It's a cave!" Chell was snapped out of her thoughts by the cube's sudden discovery. A cave was just in their reach. Chell ran to the opening by the caves, struggling to keep the cube in her arms. She could hear the sound of running water. A stream, perhaps? Oh, she couldn't wait to taste it. At this moment, she didn't care if it was dirty or unhealthy, just the taste would satisfy her. And streams were usually clean, right?

The cave was indeed a sight to behold.

"Do you hear that?"

Chell nodded at the cube's question, a smile plastered on her face. Chell didn't have a light, but she knew the cube might have. She pressed a small, almost unnoticeable button. A light flickered for a few seconds, slowly growing a little brighter. Reaching its highest setting, Chell went forward. The cave was brilliant and beautiful. The water dripping from the stalagmites glimmered in the colors of the cave. The light from the cube reflected images the rocks formed. A few pictures were carved and painted on the walls.

Wait a minute. Chell had seen this design before. Could it possibly be…?

A soft, musical sound came from deeper in the cave. Forget the water for a bit. Chell had to follow this sound. It sounded like a radio. Good signal for a cave.

She recognized the song. It played in a small hideout back at the science facility. A wonderful piano sound came from the music, beautiful lyrics flowing along it.

_Exile. It takes your mind...again._  
_Exile. It takes your mind...again._

"Chell?" A man's voice called out to her. Chell looked forward, seeing a man whose hair had out-grown, looking as though he had aged rapidly over the course of a few years. She recognized the man.

She mouthed the words.

The Rat Man?

"Is that really you? The one who saved us?" The Rat Man spoke, widening his eyes. A smile grew on his face as he ran towards her. He took her hand, leading her into the cave.

"It's time you learned a little more about yourself."

Chell smiled at the man as the two went farther into the cave. She felt as though she knew this man personally. As if he were family.

And what he said... there was more to her? From what she had learned so far, she was simply a test subject, abandoned by her mother and father. But this man, he seemed to know more, and she would like to listen to what he had to say.

Maybe she'll finally learn everything.

_Vilify, don't even try_  
_Vilify, don't even try_

* * *

**AN: That was a bit bland and boring, but I wrote this in the 8th grade for an English assignment, and I got an alright grade on it. Just felt like sharing it with everyone. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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